Loading machine



W. w. sLoANE LOADING MACHINE Filed May a, 195e;y 2 csheeHcS-sheet 1 Jan. 4, 1938. J`W W. SLOANE 2,104,247

LOADING MACHINE Fi1ed May 8; 193ev 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Jan. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES LOADING MACHINE William W. Sloane, Chicago, Ill.,

Goodman Manufacturing Company,

assigner to Chicago,

Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application May 8', 1936, Serial No. 78,669

10 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in loading machines of the type adapted to gatherr and load loose material such asv coal from the'ground and more particularly to gathering heads including gathering chains for initially picking up the loose material and loading it onto a flight conveyer for discharge into mine cars or the like.

More specifically, the present invention is an improvementin the form` of gathering head disclosed in a vprior application, Serial No. 50,861, filed by Frank Cartlidge, November 2l, 1935.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide an improved gathering element of the character described, especially designed to load material such as coal in a more efficient manner than formerly.

In carrying out my invention, I provide gathering elements which are mounted on aprons which extend along opposite sides of the conveyer in '2O parallel relation with respect thereto to a point disposed adjacent the forward end thereof and I incline the portion of the gathering elements and apron which vare forwardly of the conveyer towards the ground at a steeper angle than the angle of inclination of the conveyer. -Such an .arrangement enables `a straight conveyer to be utilized which permits the overall height of the gathering and loading element to be reduced without increasing Vthe distance material must be moved from the ground to the discharge end of the apron. This construction also permits ample clearance to be maintained between the under surface of the apron and conveyer so that the gathering head may readily load over an uneven mine bottom.

My invention may be more clearly understood 'with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: l y

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the front portion ofyaloading machine, illustrating one form in which my invention kmay be embodied;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the gathering element in longitudinal section with certain parts broken away in order to more clearly illustrate certain details of my invention;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the gatheringelement drawn tothe same scale as Figure 2, with certain parts broken away and shown in section in order toA illustrate more clearly certain details of my invention;

Figure 4 is a detail side view of the forward end of the gathering and loading element with certain parts broken away and Shown in substantially longitudinal section;

(c1. 19a-s) Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5 of Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional View taken substantially along line 6-6 of Figure 3.

In the drawings, my invention is shown as being embodied in a loading machine of the track. mounted type, the main elements of which are essentially the same as shown in a prior application, Serial No. 682,248, filed by Frank Cartlidge, July 26, 1933, patented Dec. 29, 1936, No. 2,066,137. In the form shown, the loading machine consists generally of a wheeled truck or main frame lll having a horizontally and vertically swingable gathering and loading element I I mounted at the forward end. thereof and extending forwardly therefrom, and a discharge conveyer I2 extending from beneath the rear end of said loading element and upwardly and rearwardly therefrom.l Said discharge conveyer is arranged to overhang the rearward end. of said main frame (not shown) for discharging material into suitable receiving means, such as mine cars or the like.

The gathering and loading element Il may, as' usual comprise an elevating conveyer frame i4 pivotally supported ybetween transverse trunnion supports l5, l5. Said trunnion supports are disposed at the forward end of said main frame and pivotally movable with respect thereto about a vertical axis to permit said conveyer frame to be moved in a horizontal plane'. The mechanism for effecting swinging movement of said trunnion supports and for pivotally swinging said conveyer frame on said trunnion supports vis not herein shown or described since it forms no part of my present invention.

The elevating conveyer frame Hl includes a trough-like "conveyer section IiiV and a forward gathering section I'l connected thereto ina suitable manner. Saidk forward gathering section includes an apron I8 thefoutline ofwhchis substantially in the shape of a U. VThe sides `of said apron extend laterally from opposite sides of therconveyer trough section I6, and a forward end Ia of said apron, which forms the base ofthe U, extends across the forward end of said conveyer forwardly therefrom to the ground. As one of the novel features of my invention, the angle of inclination of the forward end I8a of said apron with respect to the ground is steeper than the angle of inclination of the conveyer, so that said apron may engage the ground at a point disposed closely adjacent to the forward end of the conveyer.

A plate I9 forms the bottom of the elevating conveyerr section I6 along which the material is moved by the conveyer. The moving parts of the conveyer consist in a pair of parallel-spaced endless chains 26, 2U having material engagingv flights 2l, 2l carried therebetween at suitable intervals. The lower run of said chains extends downwardly beneath the plate I9 over adjustable idler rollers 24, 24- for taking up excessive Slack in said chains, under idlerrollers 25, 25 and around sprockets 26, 26 on a transversely eX- tending shaft 21 immediately forwardly of the front margin of the plate I9. From thence said chains move upwardly over said plate to and around suitable drive sprockets (not shown) dis-- posed at the rear end of the conveyer frame I4.

Immediately in front of the sprockets 26, 26 is a curved plate 23 substantially conforming to the form of the chains 2U, 26 as they round said sprockets, and terminating at the delivery edge of the inclined apron I8, which edge is herein shown as being forwardly of the shaft 21. A bottom plate 32 serves as a shoe for supporting the forward end of the gathering and loading element and extends across thek bottom of the forward end of the conveyer frame and termiria-tesV at the forward ground engaging edge of said apron.

The means 'for gathering material and moving it onto the conveyer includes a pair of endless chains 35, 35 mounted on the apron I8 and extending along each side of the conveyer and beyond the forward end. thereof. Said endless chains are movable in orbital paths parallel to the upper plane surfaces of said apron and include a plurality of blocks 35a, 35a having slightly concave sockets formed therein (see Fig-V ure 6). Said blocks are connected together by spaced-apartstraps 3519, 35h by means of members 35e, 35e having convex outer peripheries fitting in said respective sockets. Said endless chains may thus readily move in planesV conforming to the upper surfaces of said apron and are guided for movement along said apron` in chain guides, generally indicated by reference characters 35', 36.

The chain guides 36, 36 each include a roller 53 rotatable about an axis which isri'nclined at an angle perpendicular to the plane of the forward portion or base I8a of the apron, which rollers form direction-changing members at the forward turning points ofsaid chains and are inclined at a steeper angle with respect to the ground than Ythe main portions of the chain guide. extending laterally therefrom and pivotally mounted to swing upwardly with respect thereto on pivotal pins YV49, 49 mounted between lugs 49a, 49a extending laterally-from suitably spacedapart links'of said chains.

Each of the chain guides 36 extends along opposite sides of the conveyer from points disposed. forwardly of the forward end thereof and in rearwardly diverging paths so that the gathering arms 31, 31 may swing along the ground in paths extending forwardly beyond the forward end of said apron and move laterally away from the conveyer as they'move rearwardly therealong.

It will be observed from the foregoing that the plate I9 of the conveyer is substantially parallel with, but below the main portion of the chain guides 36, 36 which are mounted on the aprons I8, IB.

It should hereinV be noted that inasmuch as the angle of inclination of the apron I8 with respect to the ground forwardly of the delivery edge of Said chains havey gatheringY arms 31, 31

said apron is steeper than the angle of the inclined conveyer, that the length of said apron forwardly of the conveyer may be reduced without decreasing the clearance between the plate 32, sprockets 26, 26 and conveyer chains 20, 20 and the ground. It should also be noted that a straight inclined conveyer of a relatively at angle mlay be utilized without increasing the distance material must be moved by the gathering mechanism to be discharged onto the conveyer, which low angle enables the capacity and speed of the Yconveyer to be increased. This construction also reduces the vertical dimensions of the forward end of said inclined conveyer and gathering element and enables the range of vertical movement of the gathering element to be increased.

The endless chains 35, 35 are each driven from a sprocket 38 mounted on a shaft 39 disposed perpendicular to a rearward portion of the chain guide 36 and journaled therein. A bevel gear 4l!! is keyed on the lower end of said shaft and is'driven from a bevel gear 4I on a transversely extending shaft 42. A sprocket 43 is keyed on said shaft and is driven from the transversely extending shaft 21 by means of a chain and sprocket drive, generally indicated by reference character 45. Y

The means for releasing material from the gathering arms after it has been deposited onthe elevating conveyer includes a lifting cam 46 extending along the inside of each chain guide 36 from' a point disposed adjacent the forward end of the conveyer, to and partially around the point where the gathering arms turn away from the conveyer. Said lifting cam is adapted to engage a heel 41 depending from` each gathering arm so as to raise said arms gradually to a maximum as they pass around their rearward turning point. At the rearward end of said lifting cam is a ilat supporting cam 48 which is formed in the shape of a segment of the inside of a truncated cone. Said supporting cam has its inner edge substantially in line with the cam 46 and extends inwardly around the rearward turning point of the gathering arms. From thence the outer side of said cam extends downwardly along the outside of the apron and gradually merges into the plane of said apron, for

supporting the gathering arms after they leave the elevating cam'` 45 and gradually lowering said arms so they may extend laterally from the gathering chains at their forward turning points.

The gathering arms of each chain 35 are held `in a laterally extended position with respect to the apron I8 at their lower turning point by means of spaced-apart upper and lower rotatable ilanges or disks 52 and 53, respectively. Said flanges are disposed parallel with the forward portion IBa of the apron I8 above and below the rollers 5I), 50 and are rotatable therewith. Said flanges are adapted to engage an upper projection 54 Aand the heel 41, respectively,

. of each gathering arm to guide said arms vin the plane of theV forward portion of said apron and prevent pivotal movement of said arms with respect to said chain in an upward direction at the lower turning points of said chains and arms (see Figure 2).

The rollers 5D, 5U are each mounted for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the forward inclined portionY of the apron I8 on a shaft 55a supported in a member 55. Said member is slidably mounted in a channeled guide 56 which is herein shown as being formed integral with the forward portion of the chain guide 36 and forms a meansfor readily taking up slack in the chain 35 (see Figure 5); Adjustment is effected by means of a set screw 58 in a usual manner, and the parts are held in adjusted relation with respect to each other by means of a cap screw 59 (see Figure 4). Said cap screw extends through the member 55 and a longitudinal slot iiD formed in the bottom of the guide 56' and is threaded within a portion 51 formed integral with the member 55 and extending along the under surface of said guidev (seeFigure 5).

' It should herein be notedthat the forward portion of the chain'v guide 36 is, curved downwardly to guide the chain-35into the space between the upper and lower flanges 52'and 53 of the roller 50, which roller "is inclined at a steeper angle with respectV to the ground than the main portion of said chain guide. It should also be noted that since said chain may pivot inmore than one plane, that it may readily travel inthe plane of the main portion of said guide and in the plane of said roller to enable the gathering chains to engage the ground at a steeper angle than Vthe conveyer. This affords an arrangement whereby a relativelylow straight conveyer may be utilized having a greater capacity and range of vertical movement than formerly without increasing the distance said gathering arms must movev material from the ground to the discharge end of the apron.

fWhileI have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it will be understood that the construction or arrangementof the various parts may be altered or changed without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish to be construed as limiting myself to the particular form shown, excepting as it may be limited by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: v

1. In a loading machine', an inclined conveyer, an apron disposed above and parallel to said conveyer and extending along each side of said conveyer, and gathering mechanism on said apron andmovable along opposite sides of said conveyer for gathering and moving material onto said conveyer, said apron having portions extending along opposite sides of said conveyer and having ra forward end extending across the front o f said conveyer and downwardly and forwardly therefromto the ground at a steeper angle than the angle of the portion of said apron which extends along said conveyer, and said gathering mechanism being guided to travel in planes parallel to the upper plane surfaces of vsaid apron. 2. In a loading machine, an inclined conveyer,

van apron disposed above and parallel to said conveyer and extending along each sideof said conveyer, gathering mechanism on said apron and movable alongopposite sides of said conveyer for gathering and moving material onto said conveyer and including a pair of orbitally guided endless chains having gathering arms projectinglaterally therefrom, said apron having portions extending along opposite sides of said conveyer and having a forward end extending across the front of said conveyer and downwardly and forwardly therefrom to the ground at a steeper angle than the angle of the portion of said apron which extends along said inclined conveyer, and said endless chains and gathering arms being guided for Ytravel in planes parallel to the upper plane surfaces of said apron.

3. In a loading machine, an inclined conveyer,

and gathering ymechanism for gathering `and moving material onto said conveyer including an apron disposed above and parallel to said conveyer and extending along each side of said conveyer, chain guides mounted on said apron and extending along each side of said conveyer and having endless chains guided therein, sai-dchains having spaced-apart gathering arms projecting laterally therefrom, and said chain guides extending downwardly beyond the forward end of said inclined conveyer at an angle which isV steeper than the angle of inclination of said conveyer.

4.l In a loading machine, an inclined conveyer,

and gathering mechanism for gathering and moving-material onto said inclined conveyer including an apron disposed above and parallel to said conveyer and extending along each side of said conveyer, chain guides mounted on said apron and extending along each side of said conveyer and having endless chains guided therein, said chains having gathering arms projecting laterally therefrom, said apron having a forward end extending across the front of said conveyer and forwardly and downwardly therefrom towards the ground at a steeper angle than the angle of inclination of said conveyer, and said chain guides conforming to the planes of said apron for guiding said lchains so said gathering arms may project beyond the forward end of said apron along the ground.

5. In a loading machine, an elevating conveyer, an apron having an inclined plane surface disposed above and parallel to said conveyer'and extending laterally from the sides thereof and another inclined plane surface extending forwardly of said conveyer towardsthe ground at a steeper angle than said conveyer, gathering mechanism on said apron` movable along opposite sides of said conveyer including a pair of laterally spaced endless chains having gathering arms projecting laterally therefrom, and means for guiding said chains along said conveyer from points disposed forwardlyA thereof comprising a chain guide mounted on each side of said apron and extending along said conveyer in a plane parallel to the plane of said conveyer, and a rotatable guide member disposed forwardly of and in alignment with each of said guides and mounted for rotation about an axis obtuse to said conveyer and perpendicular to the forward inclined portion of said apron.

6. In a loading machine, an elevating conveyer, an apron having an inclined plane surface disposed above and parallel to said conveyer and extending laterally from the sides thereof and anotherrinclined plane surface which is a continuation of said first-mentioned surface and extends forwardly of said` conveyer towards the ground at a steeper angle than said conveyer, gathering mechanism on sai-d apron movable along opposite sides of said conveyer including a pair of laterally spaced endless chains having gathering arms projecting laterally therefrom, andl means for yguiding said chains rearwardly along said conveyer from points disposed forwardly thereof in planes parallel to the planes of said apron comprising a chain guide mounted on each side of said apron and extending along said conveyer in a plane parallel to the plane of said conveyer, and a rotatable direction-changing member disposed forwardly of and in alignment with each Vof said guides and mounted for rotation about axes perpendicular to the forward inclined portion of said apron, said rotatable members having grooved guidesformed therein for` receiving and guiding said chains in a plane which isat anV acute angle'to the plane of the portion of said chain guide extending along said conveyer.

7. In a loading machine, an elevating conveyer, an apron having an inclined plane surface disposed above and parallel to said conveyer and extending laterally from the sides thereof and another inclined plane surface which is a Continuation of said first-mentioned surface and extends forwardly of` said conveyer towards the ground at a steeper angle than said conveyer, gathering mechanism on said apron movable along opposite sides of said conveyerincluding a pair: of laterally spaced endless chains having gathering arms projecting laterally therefrom and pivotally mounted thereon for movement with respect thereto in a vertical direction, and means for guiding said chains along said apron and forwardly therefrom in planes parallel to the planes of said apron comprising a chain guide extending along each side of said conveyer in a plane parallel to the plane of said conveyer, and a rotatable direction-changing member mounted on the forward portion of said apron in alignment with each of said guides for rotation about axes which are obtuse to said guides and perpendicular to the forward inclined portion of said apron, said direction-changing members having grooved guides formed therein for receiving said chains, and the shoulders of said guides being adapted to engage said gathering arms above and below the pivotal axes thereof to hold said arms in laterally extended positions at their lower turning points in a plane parallel to the plane surface of the forward portion of said apron. Y

8. In a loading machine, an elevating conveyer, an apron having an inclined plane surface disposed above and parallel to said conveyer and extending laterally from the sides thereof and another inclined plane surface extending forwardly of said conveyer towards the ground at a steeper angle than said conveyer, gathering mechanism on said apron movable along opposite sides of said conveyer including a pair of laterally spaced endless chains adapted to travel in orbits disposedrin more than one plane and having gathering arms projecting laterally therefrom, and means for guiding said chains in the planes of said apron comprising a chain guide extending along said apron on each side of said conveyer, and a rotatable Vdirection-changing member disposed forwardly of and in alignment with each of said guides, said rotatable members having a guide formed therein adapted toengage said chains, and being mounted for rotation about axes perpendicular to the forward in-V clined portion of said apron, and the forward ends of each of said chain guides being inclined downwardly in alignment withthe guides formed in said members.

9. In a loading machine, an elevating conveyer, an apron having an inclined plane surface disposed above and parallel to said conveyer and extending laterally from the sides thereof and another inclined plane surface extendingforwardly of said conveyer towards the ground at a steeper angle 'than said conveyer, gathering mechanism on said apron movable along opposite sides of said conveyer including a pairY of laterally spaced endless chains havingl laterally projecting gathering arms pivotally mounted thereon for movement in a vertical direction,l a guide disposed along each side of said conveyer for guiding said chains along said apron in a plane parallel to the plane of said conveyer, means for raising the forward ends of said arms above said conveyer at their rearward turning points, and' means for guiding said arms in the plane of the forward end of said apron at their lower turning points comprising direction-changing members mounted on the forward portion of said apron in alignmentrwith each of said guides for rotation about axes perpendicular to the inclined forward portion of said apron, said members each having a guide formed therein for guiding its respective chain, and the outer peripheries of said guidesV being adapted to engage said gathering arms above and belowV the pivotal axes thereof.

10. In a loading machine, an elevating conveyer, an apron having an inclined plane surface disposed above and parallel to said conveyer andV extending laterally from the sides Vthereof and another inclined plane surface extending forwardly of said conveyer towards the ground at a steeper angle than said conveyer, gathering mechanism on said ap-ron movable along oppositesides of Vsaid conveyer including a pair of laterally spaced endless chains adapted to travel in orbits disposed in more than one plane and having laterally projecting gathering arms pivotally mounted thereon for movement in a vertical direction, a guide disposed along each side of said conveyer` for guiding said chains along Vsaid apron in a plane parallel to the plane of said conveyer, meansV for raising said arms above `said conveyer at their rearward turning points, and means for guiding said arms in a plane parallel'to the plane of the forward end of said apron at their lower turning points comprising rotatable Vdirection-changing members mounted on the forward portion of said apron in alignment with each of said guides for rotation about axes perpendicular to the inclined forward portion of said apron, said members having guide grooves formed therein and the outer peripheries of said guides being adapted to engage said gathering arms above and below the pivotal axes thereof. WILLIAM W. SLOANE, 

